NEWS
SimCity to finally become playable offline
10 months after the game's infamously troubled launch, last year's Sim City reboot is finally getting an offline mode.
The news comes courtesy of Maxis general manager Patrick Buechner, who admits, "I’ve wanted to say those words for quite some time."
Buechner promises that after the offline mode's launch all your previously downloaded content will be available without the need for an internet connection.
Said Buechner: "In Update 10, you can still play solo in Regions on your own, or in Multiplayer with people from around the world. What’s new is the Single Player Mode, which allows you to play the game Offline by yourself. And because your saved games in this mode are stored locally, you can save and load to your heart’s content. ... All of the benefits of being connected will remain including access to Multiplayer, the Global Market and Leaderboards. And all of your pre-existing saved cities and regions will still be accessible should you log-in to the Online game."
Buechner also said that the offline mode will make it easier for modders to experiment with their mods without "compromising the integrity of the Online game."
It really does make one wonder why the game didn't ship with the feature. When it launched, it mandated a constant connection to EA's servers. And when those servers inevitably crashed, many players were unable to play the game they'd spent money on. Some players may see this patch as coming in 10 months too late. Still, at least it's finally coming.